Metallurgical furnace



Jan. 1, 1929 R. J. BRIGGS METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5Sheets-Sheet BY N Q. mm.

ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,259

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURGI CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet2 VENTQR' ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929.

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURG I CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-SheetJan. 1, 1929.

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURGI CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet4 l ENTOR 3; %/M z fifl ya BY MW ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,259

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURG I CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet5 Wm ATTORNEY forth in the appended claims.

I Patented Jamjl,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. BRIGGS, 01 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, .A SSIGNOR TQ- ONONDAGA STEELCOM- PANY, ING, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.IETALLURGICAL FURNACE.

Application-filed April 21, 1928. Serial 110. 103,629.

This invention relates to metallurgical furnaces and more particularlyto furnaces for the production of wrought iron. The invention aims toprovide an improved metallurgical furnace and particularly an Theelectrical heating means, pre erably an electric arc, is relativelystationary andis so associated with the, heating or working chamber ofthe furnace as to permit free and unhampered rotationor oscillation ofthe furnace. The heating or working chamber of the furnace issubstantially closed, while at the same time free movement of theelectrodes into and out of this chamber is permitted without interferingwith the rotation or oscillation of the chamber and without disturbinits substantially closed state.

The novel eatures of the invention which I believe to be patentable aredefinitely set The construction and mode of operation of an electricfurnace embodying the invention, and particularly adapted for theproductlon of wrought iron, will be understood from the followingdescription .taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the furnace;

Fig. 2 is a section on the hne 22 of Fig.1; Y I

Figs. 3 and 4 are rear and front end elevations, respectively I Fig.' 5is a longitudinal sectionalelevation, and I I F1 g. 6 is a detail of theelectrode clamplng device.

The furnace illustrated in the accompanying drawings is generally ofcylindrical configuration and is mounted on an appropriate foundationsuch as the columns 1 and .2: The furnace proper comprises a cylindricalsteel drum 3 lined with magnesite or other suitable brick 4.

Each end of the drum 3 is surrounded by an annular track 5. The track 5,at the rear end of the furnace rests on double-flanged rollers 7, whilethe track :5, at the front end of the furnace, rests on plain rollers 6.The furnace maybe rotated or oscillated by any suitable motive poweroperatively connected to one or more of the rollers. In the furnaceshown in the accompanying drawings, the rollers 7 are secured to shafts22 and 23. An electric motor 19, mounted on the column 2, is operativelyconnected to the shafts 22 and 23 through appropriate speed reducingmeans, such as enclosed worm-gear drives 20 and 21. vThe electriccontroller (not shown in the drawings) for the motor 19 is preferablypositioned at the front or control end ofthe furnace.

The cylindrical wall of the furnace has an opening 8 adapted to beclosed by a mechanically operated door 9 lined with magnesite or othersuitable brick 10. The door is adapted to be opened and closed by twobell crank levers 11. These levers are pivoted at 12 and are attached atone end to the door 9 and at the other end (14) are pivotally secured toracks 13. The racks 13 are operatively associated with pinions 15mounted on a shaft 16. Theshaft 16 is adapted'to be driven by anelectric motor 17 through appropriate reduction gearing. The motor 17 ismounted on the drum 3 and is electrically connected'to a suitable sourceof electric power through slip rings 18 carried on the rear end of thefurnace structure. An appropriate controller (not shown in the drawingsbut preferably located at the control end of the furnace) iselectrically associated with the motor 17 and by its proper mani ulationthe motor may be operated in eit er direction, whereby the door 9 ma beopened or closed whether the fur nace e rotating or stationary.

An'arched I-beam support 24 is mounted on the column 1 at the front orcontrol end of the furnace, and a similar support 24' is mounted on thecolumn 2 at the rear end of the furnace.

The front end of the furnace has a circular opening 28 which issubstantially closed by a brick-lined door or closure member 25. Thedoor is provided with lugs 26 that rest on brackets 27 secured to thesupport 24. The door 25 is mounted in close proximity to the opening 28in the end of the furnace and onl sufficient clearance is allowedbetweent e door and the end of the furnace to permit free rotation ofthe furnace The door 25 has an opening that may be closed by a smalldoor 48 attached to the support 24 by hinges 49.

The door 25 has 'a water-jacketed opening jects. The electrode 30 issuspended from a carriage 31 having rollers 32-travelling between theflanges of an I-beam 29.- The -tion of the furnace.

I-beam 29 is secured to the top or arch of the support 24. A pinion 39is mounted on the carriage 31 and meshes -with a rack 40 on the lowerside of the beam 29. A hand-wheel 38 is connected to the pinion 39 andby turning thehand-wheel one way or the other, the electrode 30 can beadvanced into or withdrawn from the working chamber of the furnace.

The clamping device for suspending the electrode 30 from the carriage 31is best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. A yoke 33 isattached to the carriage 31 and the electrode 30 rests in this yoke. Thearms of the yoke 33 carry two inwardly projecting studs 34. The studshave tapered channels 35 in which a wedge 36 is operatively mounted. Aclamp 37 is mounted on the wedge 36 between the inner ends of the studs34. The clamp 37 engages the upper side of the electrode 30, and thefurther the wedge 36 is driven in the more' firmly is the electrode heldbetween the yoke 33 and the clamp 37 The rear end of the furnace has acircular opening 28 closed by a brick-lined door "43 similar'inconstruction and arrangement to'the door 25. The door 43 is hung fromthe inner end of theI-beam 43 mounted at.

the top or arch of the support 24. A carbon electrode 41 extends througha waterjacketed opening in the door 43. The electrode 41 is carried in ayoke-45 suspended mounted on the support 24 and is opera-' tivelyconnected through appropriate speed reduction gearing to a pinion 47mounted on the carriage 44 and meshing with a rack 46 on the lower sideof the beam 43. It will, of course, be understood that the handwheelarrangement may be used to manipulate the electrode 41 as well as theelectrode 40. It is usually desirable, however, that all of the controlsof the furnace be located within reach of a single operator, and to thisend I provide the electric motor 42 and arrange the electric controllertherefor at thefront or control end of the furnace.

The longitudinal axis of the electrodes 30 and 41 is positioned abovethe axis of rota- This relative relationship is made possible by thefact that the electrodes enter the heating or working chamber of thefurnace through the stationary doors 25 and 43 and may therefore thefurnace. Indeed, the axis of theelectrodes may be arranged an where'within the area ofthe doors 25 an 43. This arrangement has theadvantage of a source of heat located at a position more remote fromtates, its highly heated walls distribute their heat more uniformlythrough the bath.

The furnace illustrated in the accompanying drawings is particularlyadapted for the production of wrought iron by the improvements describedand claimed in my companion application, Serial No. 103,630 filed April21, 1926.

In general, the operation of the furnace is as follows. After thefurnace has been brought to the desired temperature, it is turned sothat the door 9 is on top. The door is then opened by the motor 17,preferably by a remote control at the front or control end of thefurnace, and the charge of metal to be treated is introduced into theheating or working chamber, whereupon the door is closed by the motor17. The furnace may then be rotated or oscillated by the motor 19, asthe particular operation may require. The electrodes 30 and 41 may bemanipulated as desired to vary and adjust the intensity of the electricarc and hence the degree of heating, and to interrupt or resume heatingb stances require. Con itions within the furnace may be observed byopening the door 48, and, if desired, reagents may be introduced intothe furnace through this door. Since the electric arc ,is produced nearthe upper wall or lining of the fu'rnace, this section of the furnacewall is intensely heated and this highly heated section of the wall maybe rotated to a position beneath the bath where its heat is distributedthroughout the charge. The furnace can be rotated or oscillated withoutinterfering with the electrical heating, and similarly the electricalheating can be regulated in dethe are as circumthe charging ordischarging operations. All I of the controls for "the proper operationof the furnace are preferably located at a common control station, suchas at the frontend of the furnace; where all oper'ations of the furnacemay then be conveniently efv .fected by a single operator. be positionedoff the. center of rotation of The rotation or oscillation of thefurnace keeps the molten char e in constant motion, and in my improvedrnace this is effected without interfering with the desired heating ofthe furnace by the electric are. If desired, the interior of theheatingchamber, may be provided Witha dividing wall or partitionover which themolten charge alternately flows from one side thereof to the other asthe furnace oscillates. This re sults in a splash agitation of themolten bath and is a very effective method of mixin I l'claim: 1.Ametallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted working chamber,co-opcrating electrodes projecting into said chamber from opposite sidesthereof, the aligning axis of said electrodes being further removed fromthe. surface of the charge in the chamber than is the axis of rotationof the chamber, and means for rotating said chamber while the electrodesproject therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto.

2. A metallurgical-furnace comprising a rotatably mounted workingchamber having openings in the ends thereof, a relatively stationar doormounted in proximitylto each end 0 the chamber and adapted tosubstantially close said openings, each of, said doors having an openingthrough which an electrodeis adapted to be advanced into or withdrawnfrom said chamber, the aligning axis of said electrodes being furtherremoved from the surface of the charge in the chamber'than is the axisof rotation-of the chamber, and means for rotating said chamber.

3. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted workingchamber having openings in the ends thereof, a relatively stationarydoor mounted in' proximity to each end of the chamber and adapted tosubstantially close said openings, each of said doors having an openingthrough which an electrode is adapted" to be advanced into or withdrawnfrom said chamber, the aligning axis of said electrode being displacedwith respect to the .axis of rotation of said chamber, means forrotating said chamber while the electrodes project therein and remainrelatively stationary with respect thereto, and means for advancin theelectrodes into and withdrawing t em from the chamber irrespective ofwhether the chamber *is rotating or stationary.v

4. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted heatingchamber having ends provided with openings ofsubstantial area,stationary closure members positioned to close said openings and at thesame time permit free rotation of the furnace, electrodes projectingthrough said stationary closure members into the interior of saidheating chamber, the aligning axis of said electrodes being above theaxis of rotation chamber rotatably mounted thereon and provided at itsends with substantially concentric openings of substantial area,stationary closure members mounted on supports on said base andpositioned to close said openings while at'the same time permitting freerotation of the heating chamber, a pair of adjustably mounted electrodesprojectingv one through-each of said closure members to produce an arcin the interior of the heating chamber, the axis of said electrodesbeing'positioned above the axis of rotation of the heating chamber, andmeans for rotating said chamber.

6. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted cylindricalheating cham ber provided with a door in its cylindrical surface andhaving ends provided with concentric openings of substantial area,stationar closure members positioned to close said openings while, atthe same time permitting free rotation of the heating chamber, a pair ofcarbon electrodes projecting one through each of said closure membersand adapted to produce an are within the heating chamber, the aligningaxis of the electrodes being above the axis of rotation of'the heatingchamber, travel ling carriages on which the electrodes are mounted, andmeans for moving said carriages for advancing the electrodes into andgvithdrawing them from the heating cham- 7. A metallurgical furnacecomprising a rotatably mounted heating chamber, electrodes projectinginto said chamber, from opposite sides thereof, travelling carriages onwhich the electrodes are mounted, means for moving said carriages foradvancin the electrodes into and withdrawing them oin the heatingchamber, and means for rotating said chamber while the electrodesproject therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto.

8. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted heatingchamber, cooperating electrodes projecting into said chamber, fromoppoiste sides thereof, the aligning axis of said electrodes beingdisplaced with respect to the axis of rotation of said chamber,travelling carriages on which the electrodes are mounted, means formoving said carriages for advancing the electrodes into and withdrawingthem from the heating chamber irrespective of whether the chamber isrotating or stationary, and means for rotating said chamber while theelec trodes project therein ,and remain relatively oup of electrodes inelectrical series pro-.-

]ecting into saidchamber, allof said electrodes being further removedfrom the surface of thecharge in the chamber than is the axis ofrotation of the chamber, and means for'rotating said chamber while theelectrodesproject therein and remain stationary with respect thereto.

11. A metallurgical furnace comprising a her, so that a substantiallyspecification.

rotatably mounted heating chamber, a group'- of electrodes projectinginto said chamber, said electrodes'being arranged in serieselectrically, -means for moving said grou of electrodes into andwithdrawing them rom the heating chamber, means for rotating saidchamber while the electrodes project therein and remain relativelystationary with respect thereto, all the 'members of said group ofelectrodes being positioned more remotely from the charge level of thefurnace thanis the axis of rotation of the cham- I reater portion of theheat radiated from t e are between said electrodes is radiated to theupper regions of the furnace than is radiated directly to the charge.

In witness whereof I have signed this ARTHUR .J. BRIGGS.

